“I’d instantly quit”: Worker horrified after job forces super invasive time-tracking software

A recent college graduate on TikTok says his employer has implemented invasive time-tracking software that records screenshots every 10 minutes, monitors keystrokes, and calculates the percentage of time he spends on each activity.

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The Gen Z worker, Tim Lee, called the system “pretty dystopian” and worried about what it means for the future of work.

The video, shared on Oct. 1, 2025, racked up over 400,000 views and nearly 2,000 comments. Lee’s post sparked a conversation among social media users who share the TikTok creator’s fear for the future of work amid a culture of productivity tracking and surveillance.

Lee said that his company’s decision to implement time tracking won’t change the way he works, and he even “gets it” from the employer’s perspective.”

“Like, this just doesn’t feel like life to me, you know?” Lee said. “I feel like there’s gotta be more than this sh*t, for real.”

The post horrified people on social media who, like Lee, are doing the best they can at their laptop jobs. Commenters advised Lee to quit his job immediately. They pointed out that micromanaging is a tactic associated with incompetent leadership and management’s inability to track results. Lee’s situation resonated with people who connect salaried work to expertise and efficacy, not hours logged.

Lee wrote in the post’s caption, “not complaining about time tracking, but gah damn is this where the future of work is headed?

@timleesblee
not complaining about time tracking, but gah damn is this where the future of work is headed?
♬ original sound – Tim Lee

“Personally, I would find a new job immediately. Adults do not need to be micromanaged.”

“It’s showing that they don’t trust their employees… and I don’t trust an employer who doesn’t trust their employees.”

“Companies that focus on minutes instead of output can’t succeed. That’s a huge sign of incompetent leadership.”

Just when you thought corporate culture couldn’t get any more dystopian, one TikTok user suggested that companies implementing time tracking are actually using the automated software to gather data that will train AI to replace workers.

“They are tracking your flow to replace with AI.”

Tim Lee did not immediately reply to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok.